1 day Ago By Katherine McPhillips
Sunflowers may not seem like spring flowers , but the best time to plant them is late April, once the weather has warmed up, to give them plenty of time to grow for summer. These cheerful plants are quite easy to grow as long as they have enough nitrogen in their soil. Nitrogen is an important nutrient responsible for foliage growth .
Sunflowers need nitrogen to grow strong stems that will support their big yellow flowerheads. If gardens do not get enough nitrogen for sunflowers when they first start out, they will grow thin stems that cannot produce enough energy to produce flowers and are more susceptible to disease. However, Dan Cooper, a gardener and founder of The Frustrated Gardener , has shared that a very simple way to give plants the nitrogen they need is to add sheep wool to their soil.
Dan explained: “As wool decomposes, it releases nutrients into the soil, creating food for microorganisms and plants. Nitrogen is the main element (10 to 11%), essential for vigorous plant growth, followed by potassium, which encourages flower and fruit production.” It may seem bizarre, but burying sheep wool in gardens is a common way to help plants grow stronger foliage so they can produce bigger flowers or fruit later on.
Sheep wool is traditionally used to boost strawberries , but it can also help flowers. Not only does it give them a nitrogen boost, but it can also keep common pests like slugs away. Dan added: “When we put on an itchy sweater, we know about it.
Slugs and snails experience the same sensation when they slide over a woolly surface. "What's more, dry fibres will absorb their sticky mucilage. This makes wool an excellent deterrent for slimy garden pests when used as a protective barrier.
” You need only shed sheep wool in small pieces and put it around the base of each sunflower in your garden. You only need about two centimetres of sheep wool to make it into a layer around the plant, but make sure to leave space away from the stem so you do not trap moisture. Another fantastic thing about sheep wool is that it retains moisture that will be released into the soil, so you do not have to worry about watering your plants as often.
However, this means you have to be careful that sheep wool does not clump up in soil. Too thick a layer will make the soil too soggy, which can encourage mould or fungal diseases. Dan said: “As a compost ingredient, wool fibres can form a mat or ‘cap’ on the surface so that water won’t penetrate and seedlings find it hard to break through.
Experiment with wool composts before sowing your most precious seeds.” To prevent this, spread the sheep wool out evenly and cut it into small pieces before burying it in the soil. It is also best to check your soil before adding sheep wool, as it is very alkaline.
This means you need to keep it away from acid-loving plants like camellias, hydrangeas, and roses..
